I don't have autism, but I think I stim? Help please

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Hey, so I would like some help understanding this current issue of mine.

I'm a 20 year old female - completely normal/never been diagnosed with any disorders or syndromes such as autism, aspergers, ADHD, ect. I have never felt strange or have been told that I have weird habits lol. My life is pretty average. It wasn't until recently that I realized I've been doing this little thing with my hands whenever I feel happy/satisfied or whatever - and I've been doing it since I was a very little girl. The best way I can describe it is I kind of wiggle my one finger, sometimes with a pen or something else in my hand. I never do it in public, because I am aware that it looks rather odd lol... When I'm alone, I do it. I've never thought much about it, but lately I've been actually thinking about it, and it's super weird to me. Thinking back, my parents have told me about times that I did this when I was really little - they laugh about it and said it was cute. I don't think they realize that I still do it sometimes - only when I'm alone.
I went online to see what this is, and the best answer I could find is that it is a 'stim.' Everyone says that Stims are only associated with autism, and I'm seriously freaked out now. Lol I know that i'm not autistic, so I'm very curious to know if people without autism have little stims that they do or weird things when they're alone that just feel good to them. I really want to know that I'm not alone in this. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Hi.
I think anyone can stim. It is something done to ease anxiety. Associated with excess Glutamate levels in your brain (or decreases GABA). Autistics are leas likely to realize a stim looks weird and not do it in public. A non-autistic individual is more likely to chew nails or eat as a way to stim and calm nerves, or play with a pen.

Maybe this just shows that you tend to be excitable? I don't know. It's great to reflect on your actions, thoughts, and habits in any case. If you decide there are no other difficulties in your life and it's not being triggered by a poor diet or something, I suppose I'd keep doing it and not worry.

Self soothing techniques (which some refer as stims) are a means of relieving stress and anxiety. They aren't necessarily negative, and actually often helps for people to function in life. Self-soothing techniques are not restricted to the autistic, but are done in some form by most people. The distinction is autistic self-soothing techniques got pathologized as symptoms, while doxist/nuerotypical self-soothing techniques get called habits; when they are basically the same sort of human phenomenon.

Stimming is associated with autism because autistic people tend to do it a lot, but it's by no means exclusive to autism. Doing something small like that sometimes is perfectly normal though, stimming is something that everyone does to some extent.

Everybody stims. It's more a matter of why they stim.

Yeah, everybody stims! Autistic people generally stim more often than other people, and are more likely to do so in ways that might seem odd, but everyone does it. Some very common ones are biting nails, shaking or bouncing legs, and playing with pens/pencils - take a look around any classroom or office and you'll likely see people doing all of these. Your stim just happens to be a little more unique. If stimming is the only "austitic" trait you have, I wouldn't be worried at all.

If it's not like you, maybe it isn't you and your finger is possessed? I never heard of anyone just having one part of them possessed, but there's a first for everything I suppose.



You better run before people have you convinced your a HFA, Ms Demon finger.

Everyone stims to a degree and stimming isn't exclusive to autism. Unless your stimming is harming you, I wouldn't worry about it.

Stimming isn't exclusive to autism, but those on the spectrum might do it more often than others.

Hehe, don't worry my little NT friend.

My roommate is as NT (average mental functioning) as you can get. And even he has little stims. Although autistic stims can be much more extreme. But I suppose there may be autistic individuals who don't stim so much.

Stimming is not necessarily autistic... it's human. Lots of average people bite their nails, wiggle their leg while sitting for long hours, chew on pens/pencils, twirl their hair, or whatever it may be. It's kind of a subconscious way of relieving stress of various kinds.

There is nothing abnormal about you in that regard, and no need for concern.

Had to post separately because of Captcha bug.

Hey! thanks for your response. I know I'm really late in responding haha. So, I feel a little more secure now in understanding that everybody stims. Ive read a lot about different types of stims, though, and it seems like my stim isn't "neurotypical." I've seen autistic kids do the same thing that I do with my fingers - like wiggling my fingers back and forth, and sometimes it's on both hands. For the past 2 weeks, I've actually been able to resist the stim - but in resisting, i've noticed how often I actually have the urge, and perhaps how often I used to do it without realizing. It's many times a day that I feel the urge to do it. I know that I may be overthinking this, as I often do with many other things in my life. I guess my main question is - do you think "neurotypical" people sometimes stim in ways that autistic people do? Not necessarily finger tapping or bouncing a leg. Thanks!

Hehe, don't worry my little NT friend.

My roommate is as NT (average mental functioning) as you can get. And even he has little stims. Although autistic stims can be much more extreme. But I suppose there may be autistic individuals who don't stim so much.

Stimming is not necessarily autistic... it's human. Lots of average people bite their nails, wiggle their leg while sitting for long hours, chew on pens/pencils, twirl their hair, or whatever it may be. It's kind of a subconscious way of relieving stress of various kinds.

There is nothing abnormal about you in that regard, and no need for concern.